"Exaggerations of History" is a compelling collection of 101 miniature portrait paintings of female artists spanning from the 12th to the 20th centuries, each coupled with an embedded Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Via an app-enabled AR journey, viewers are privy to a video narrative that vividly brings to life the biography and creative trajectory of each artist. A salient goal of this series is to affirm the significant role of women in the arts from the outset. Apia views this omission in historical records as a profound distortion of history. The artists selected for this compilation were pivotal during their eras but were conspicuously absent from scholarly texts, effectively leaving successive generations bereft of a full historical narrative. This gap has led to a misguided perception that women's contributions to the arts are a more recent phenomenon. García asserts that this misrepresentation stems from our intrinsic human shortcomings. In an intentional nod to these shortcomings, the series features minuscule paintings that were deliberately crafted without the assistance of magnification tools.
Opting for a miniature format pays homage to a medium that was predominant among female artists. This art form essentially belonged to women in the past, who worked in small formats as it was less invasive and materials were more readily available during times when they received little to no support. At one point, this art form was deemed less significant despite its delicacy and beauty, which we aim to highlight. The format also enhances viewer engagement by adding physicality to the project. Upon visiting the exhibition, viewers are encouraged to lean in closer to the miniatures, intentionally positioned below average eye level. This action naturally induces a bow-like movement, prompting each viewer to salute and honor the artists portrayed in the exhibition, a gesture the artist sees as a posthumous homage to these valuable and intriguing women, thereby creating an atmosphere that seeks to restore the respect they commanded in their era. The added effort to view each miniature also ensures that the entire experience becomes more memorable, as the brain will link sight and movement.
The artist who inspired the series is Sofonisba Anguissola (born in 1532, Italy), an exquisite painter of the Renaissance and one of the earliest known female artists to establish a prestigious international reputation. Anguissola's paintings exuded a stellar sense of innovation during her time. She infused her portraits with narrative and intellectual nuances. It was this that captured the attention of Michelangelo Buonarroti, with whom she maintained a mentorship through correspondence during her early career—a concept that resonates with the modern idea of distance learning widely practiced today. Her life and contributions are nothing short of fascinating, and for Apia, it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, as it amplified her curiosity to learn more about the lives and works of female artists from bygone eras. For Apia, discovering Anguissola was like opening a beautiful gateway that led to uncovering the compelling stories of incredible women who lived in the past with a sense of modernity, reminding us that learning about history can make us feel more connected to our own reality.
REGARDING THE RESEARCH
The investigation spanned over a year of the artist's life, yielding an extensive trove of information that Apia later had to meticulously edit. The intention was to create digestible capsules that could convey information simply and capture the viewer's attention. Each story that Apia unearthed transformed the project into an enthralling opportunity to understand the lives of previous generations. She was so captivated by the depth of the narratives that it became exceedingly challenging to merely skim the surface, which in turn made the task of distilling the information into micro-biographies, intended to be read within 30 to 45 seconds, even more complex. Apia committed herself to highlight the most salient points of each subject, thereby aiming to ignite the curiosity of viewers. Despite the difficulty in deciding what was truly essential, she embarked on the task and successfully crafted these micro-biographies, which were later adapted into scripts for the videos used in the augmented reality experience accompanying the exhibition.
REGARDING THE PAINTING PROCESS OF EACH MINIATURE
Each miniature is less than a square inch in surface area and was meticulously rendered in watercolor, gouache, and water-soluble graphite. The painting process required the artist to spend extensive periods in contemplation, studying the reference images and committing them to memory. This involved dissecting the geometry of the postures, analyzing the composition, the palette, and so on. This meticulous approach was necessary as Apia needed to maintain a consistent hand-eye coordination, which meant not diverting her gaze from the piece at hand. Ingeniously, the water used was not in a container but rather a single drop on a piece of adhesive tape, a technique that further focused attention on the diminutive work. Apia recalls instances of painting details that were barely visible to the naked eye, such as when she inscribed text on the image of Guda; the writing is nearly invisible unaided but becomes legible upon magnification. Mastery of this technique was achieved through practice, enabling its incorporation into the artwork. She discusses the challenge of painting eyelids, where the brush had to be applied purely from muscle memory due to the minuscule distance between the eyelid and the eye. Each miniature could take up to four days to complete, demanding intense concentration, steady hands, and acute vision; it was imperative to afford the necessary time. Furthermore, due to their size, each layer had to be microscopically dry before proceeding to ensure the painting's integrity.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES OF THE ARTISTSREGARDING THE RESEARCH
The investigation spanned over a year of the artist's life, yielding an extensive trove of information that Apia later had to meticulously edit. The intention was to create digestible capsules that could convey information simply and capture the viewer's attention. Each story that Apia unearthed transformed the project into an enthralling opportunity to understand the lives of previous generations. She was so captivated by the depth of the narratives that it became exceedingly challenging to merely skim the surface, which in turn made the task of distilling the information into micro-biographies, intended to be read within 30 to 45 seconds, even more complex. Apia committed herself to highlight the most salient points of each subject, thereby aiming to ignite the curiosity of viewers. Despite the difficulty in deciding what was truly essential, she embarked on the task and successfully crafted these micro-biographies, which were later adapted into scripts for the videos used in the augmented reality experience accompanying the exhibition.
SURVEY THAT CEMENTED APIA'S THEORY
To substantiate the assumption that most of the women featured in the exhibition were largely unknown, Apia conducted a quick survey among individuals outside the art community. Many were unable to name a single female artist; those who did commonly cited Frida Kahlo, an unsurprising yet telling result. More surprising was a similar survey among male art professionals—painters, architects, sculptors—which consistently yielded Frida as the only name. Occasionally, others were mentioned, but there was no consensus, underscoring the unique recognition Frida has maintained.
WHY MINIATURES?
The choice of miniature art pays homage to a genre historically dominated by women.
WHY SO SMALL?
The diminutive size, smaller than traditional miniatures, was intentionally chosen to add a physical component for viewers. To fully appreciate the works, viewers must draw closer and lean in, effectively offering a reverential nod to each artist.
WHY NO MAGNIFYING GLASS?
Omitting a magnifying tool was a deliberate choice to emphasize our human limitations, which Apia believes contributed to the historical oversight. The exclusion from textbooks is a reflection of our own shortcomings.
WHY AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)?
The AR element was crucial for the artist, embodying the concept of inclusion. With this series, Apia sought to reintroduce these female artists into contemporary discourse. It was imperative to present their lives and works in an engaging and inviting manner to a broad audience.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Inclusion drives my work. I explore human emotions to reveal what is necessary to achieve a world that embraces diversity. Through my work I aim to create spaces to talk about what is necessary to achieve inclusion in the different dimensions it may take and often addressing a specific portion of what I have theorized is needed. From the human condition as whole, to acceptance of self, surrendering beliefs, giving way to societal transformation. My goal is to contribute to a more inclusive society by helping guide a way into openness to "Inclusion" by accepting our fragilities and flaws.
SHORT BIO
Apia (Carolina V. Garcia / b.1977, Chile) is a multidisciplinary artist based in South Florida. Garcia has a degree in Engineering. She works seamlessly with different mediums and formats, as she goes from miniature painting to large 3D installations and murals. The focus of her practice is not surrendered to a medium or a type of work, but to the advocacy for inclusion, making her work as diverse as she expects the world to be. Solo exhibitions include "Exaggerations of History" at the Museum of Contemporary Art for the Americas (March - May 2024), "Exaggerations of History"at the Coral Spring Museum of Art in Coral Springs, Florida (February - April 2023), "Hi and Hello World Installation and Art Exhibit" at the Coral Springs Museum of Art (February - April 2023); Other selected exhibits include"WATTA Site specific installation for Healing Goddess II" (March 2024), Women Through the Ages Installation for Instituto Cultural de Mexico en Miami (March - May 2024); "Silent Narrator Curious Spectator" at The Frank Ortis Gallery in Pembroke Pines, Florida (January - March 2023), Aqua Art with AC Contemporary during Miami Art Week 2022. Art on Paper in New York City, New York (September 2022) and "Los Colores de Miami" at the Instituto Cultural de Mexico in Miami, Florida (September-October 2022) to name a few. Apia received the Artist Innovation Grant (March 2022) and an Artist Support Grant (August 2022) from the Broward Cultural Division. Garcia’s work is in private collections in the US, Chile, and France.
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